Paul Brayson

A short, tough, inside forward who City also employed occasionally on the left side of midfield, he initially joined City on a loan period late in the 1999-2000 season, where he added a bit of menace to a badly under performing front line. He returned to Reading once his agreed loan period had run out, but manager Billy Ayre decided on signing him permanently during the close season. He had begun in professional football with his home town club, Newcastle United, where he had signed as academy player in 1993, before accepting a senior contract in August 1995, an acheivement that would have meant much to him, as he had been an avid Newcastle United supporter as a boy. England Youth team honours followed, but his path into the Newcastle first team was always going to be difficult as he was competing with the likes of Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand and Foustino Asprilla. In January 1997, he accepted an offer from Billy Ayre, then Swansea City assistant manager, to make a loan move, where he had a very successful spell, making 11 appearances in which he scored 5 goals. This prompted interest in his availability, and the Reading manager Tommy Burns eventually negociated at £100,000 transfer fee for a move that was completed on transfer deadline day in March 1998. He had made 42 League appearances and had scored once, mainly employed in midfield for Reading by the time that he joined City, and a number of his strikes were hugely important in seeing City through to promotion in 2000-01. He adapted well to the higher level of football, curiously moved back to the left side of midfield for some games, but it was decided to release him on a free transfer at the end of 2001-02. He soon found another club though, as he signed for Cheltenham Town, and employed once again in midfield, made 21 League appearances in 2002-03, scoring once.